(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for maintaining a paint brush in useable condition without having to clean it between uses. More particularly, this invention relates to a can connector fitting the rim of a paint-containing can and having a brush holder supported therein and means for securing an inverted empty can on top of the connector.
One of the most annoying problems encountered by painters, especially painters of the amateur or "do-it-yourself" category, is the cleaning of brushes after a painting operation. While substantial technical progress has been made in paint compositions, bristle material, etc., the cleaning of paint brushes after use still remains a tedious and messy operation. In addition, regardless of the efforts expended in cleaning brushes of paint, much of the texture and effectiveness of a new brush is invariably lost. the brush cleaning operation is less troublesome to a professional painter who uses his paint brushes regularly thereby maintaining his brushes in fairly good condition throughout their useful life. However, in the case of the amateur painter, such as the homeowner, only occasional use is made of his paint brushes so that thorough cleaning of the brush is required after each use to put the brush in condition for the next painting operation. In addition, it is seldom that the amateur painter is able to make more than partial use of the paint in a container or can purchased for a particular painting operation so that it is quite common for the typical homeowner to accumulate a substantial number of cans containing paint at various levels due to such partial use.
(2) The Prior Art
In order to clean the brushes as well as to keep the bristles supple for the prolonged periods between use, it has been proposed to provide suitable brush supports which may be suitably attached to a receptacle containing a solvent so as to support the brush on the receptacle with the brush bristles immersed in the solvent between periods of use. Exemplary of such prior art attempts to provide brush holders in covered solvent-containing receptacles are U.S. Pat. No. 3,156,364 to Wolcott and U.S. Pat. No. 2,533,355 to Comfort. Not only does such an arrangement usually require a special receptacle, but solvent is expensive as well as generally failing to maintain the brush bristles at the desired degree of suppleness and to avoid sticking together of the bristles. Furthermore, with the ready evaporation of solvent together with the lack of adjustability in brush holders, it is difficult if not impossible to maintain the bristles completely immersed in the solvent, particularly in view of the variety of brush sizes used by the typical painter. Even where closures for the solvent receptacles have been provided which permit the brush to remain in the receptacle, special constructions are required which are complicated, bulky and expensive as well as being somewhat ineffective in producing the desired result.
As the subject invention contemplates the use of a brush holder vertically disposed through the can connector, it should be appreciated that the prior art replicate with various designs of wire-type brush holders for attachment to the side of an uncovered can. Exemplary of the wire-type brush holders include; U.S. Pat. No. 2,450,736 to Pierce, U.S. Pat. No. 2,489,875 to Embree, U.S. Pat. No. 2,184,667 to Hannan, U.S. Pat. No. 1,125,931 to Arnest, and U.S. Pat. No. 955,646 to Jorey. These patents are cited as exemplary only and are not intended to be all inclusive of the prior art.
Accordingly, the general object of this invention is to provide a combination brush holder and connector for cans, such as paint cans of the type in widespread commercial use today.
Another object of this invention is to provide a combination brush holder and connector for cans, such as paint cans which permits a paint brush to be supported with its bristles immersed in paint remaining in the paint can regardless of the paint level so as to maintain the bristles in proper condition throughout prolonged periods between painting operations.
A further object of this invention is to provide a combination paint brush holder and connector for paint cans which not only may be used to support a paint brush of any size with its bristles immersed within the paint remaining after use in the original can, but which utilizes another identical can of conventional type as a closure for the original can thereby sealing both the remaining paint and brush in a substantially air-tight enclosure.
This invention further contemplates the provision of a combination brush holder and connector for cans, such as paint cans, which enables the elimination of the bristle cleaning operation following a painting operation and attendant deterioration of the bristles, and which eliminates the use of solvent for brush cleaning and bristle maintaining purposes, and which utilizes conventional paint cans in common use today. It should not be overlooked that the brush holder and connector can be used to suspend brushes in a solvent following a painting operation.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a paint brush holder and connector for paint cans which is simple and inexpensive in construction, which is light-weight and highly resistant to damage so as to be capable of prolonged use without deterioration, which utilizes readily available inexpensive materials and in which the connector may be formed by conventional molding operations at a high production rate.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.